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Pocket ¢hange is a game played for a car similar to Lucky Seven, except how far the contestant misses a number does not apply here. Instead, the starting amount cost at 25¢ inflates by that amount with every mistake.

Gameplay[]

  • The contestant is given 25¢, the "selling" price of a car. The contestant is also shown a game board, which has spaces for the five digits in the actual price of the car and six digits lit up in circles above.
  • The first digit in the price is revealed for the contestant and removed from the six above. The contestant is asked to select one of the remaining digits as the second digit in the price of the car. If they are correct, the digit is revealed in the price and removed from the six above. The contestant also receives their choice of one of 20 pouches attached to the game board, which contain various amounts of change. If their guess is incorrect, however, the selling price of the car is increased by 25¢ and they must guess again with the same consequences.
  • Play continues this way for each of the remaining digits in the actual price. Once the price of the car has been guessed, the contents of the contestant's pouches are revealed one at a time to see if the contestant has earned enough money to buy the car at the final selling price. If the contestant has guessed all five digits correctly without a mistake, the selling price will have remained at the initial 25¢ and the game is automatically won.
  • The distribution chart for the different amounts of change, which is displayed at the bottom of the game board, is as follows:
Amount Frequency
.00 2
.05 4
.10 5
.25 4
.50 3
.75 1
2.00 1
  • The highest possible selling price for the car would be $2.75, with four incorrect guesses allowed on the second number, three on the third, two on the fourth and one on the last. If the selling price reaches this amount, it is impossible to win the game without choosing the $2.00 slip. The player would have to choose an envelope that had $2.00 and one that had 75¢ or 50¢ to add the starting point of 25¢ to win the game the hard way. In the case of the first playing, the highest possible selling price is $4.00, with five additional misses.

History[]

  • Pocket ¢hange was created by producer Roger Dobkowitz.
  • In the first playing of Pocket ¢hange, the first digit was not given at the outset, contestant Matthew had to select it from the board, just like the other four digits in the car's price. However, Matthew received an additional pouch when he guessed that first digit correctly.
  • The change distribution was also slightly different, as shown below:
Amount Frequency
.00 3
.05 5
.10 5
.25 4
.50 2
2.00 1
  • From January 17, 2005 (#3131K), the distribution was as follows, which had changed by February 7, 2007 (#3873K):
Amount Frequency
.00 3
.05 3
.10 6
.25 4
.50 2
.75 1
2.00 1
  • The game was played perfectly five times, three with Bob Barker and two with Drew Carey, most recently on February 2, 2021 (#9292K).
  • The $2.00 Pouch was found 23 times in this game, most recently on February 23, 2024 (#0505L).
  • Pocket Change has been won 100 times (excluding 2 primetime wins), most recently on February 23, 2024 (#0505L).
  • Pocket Change was played three times on the primetime version of the show-- on May 14, 2008 (#032SP, aired out of order on May 7) Million Dollar Spectacular-- but was lost, on February 14, 2022 (#052SP) The Price Is Right at Night: Valentine's Day, which was won, and January 3, 2024 (#071SP, aired out of order on February 21), which was also won.
  • On May 23, 2012 (#5983K, aired out of order on May 14, originally rescheduled to air on May 21), Craig Ferguson helped out with this game.
  • On May 17, 2017 (#7943K), Pocket Change was played for a Cadillac Escalade worth $78,612. Contestant Lakea Perry needed $1.50 to win, but she only got 65¢ and lost it.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, the envelopes are given numbers so the contestant can pick one for the host to remove.

Trivia[]

  • Just like 3 Strikes and Safe Crackers, and sometimes Any Number and Golden Road, there can't be any repeating numbers in this game.
  • The most number of times this game was played in any season was 16 (seasons 34 and 38), while least number of times this game was played in any season was 9 (seasons 41, 46, 48, and 49).
  • Since Season 43, Pocket ¢hange has never been the first pricing game in the lineup because it needs time to start up and the game can be played no earlier than second on the show. In the past, it has often been played first, and as is the case with 3 Strikes, Golden Road, and Plinko, it takes up the entire stage, so Bob Barker entered from the audience as to not give away the game.
  • In some playings, contestants have managed to keep the car's selling price at 25¢ throughout the whole game.
  • This game was created after five-digit cars became permanent, but one free digit was given as if it wasn't. This was likely done as a time-saving manuever.
  • A credit slide at the end of every episode says “The following suppliers of products or services have furnished them free or at less than retail.” This game is one of only two games to furnish prizes at less than retail, in this case, at least 25 cents, depending on gameplay, up to $2.75. To sell the car for the Lucky $even price, the other game to furnish less than retail prizes, the contestant has to precisely make three mistakes.
  • Normally a 0¢ card reveal will be accompanied by a buzzer, but if it is the last one to be revealed, a foghorn will sound instead, as with any other amount that is not enough to cover the car's selling price.

Gallery[]

To view the gallery, click here.

YouTube Videos[]

Pocket ¢hange premiere (January 10, 2005, #3121K)
Dustie's Pocket Change Comeback (November 21, 2005, #3421K) Note: Start the video at 3:45 & end the video at 7:52.
First Perfect Pocket Change From Drew Carey Era (May 28, 2009, #4774K)
Second Perfect Pocket Change From Drew Carey Era (February 2, 2021)

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